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Augusta Technical College opens School of Health Sciences at Piedmont Augusta's Summerville Campus

by Kimberly Holden

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For Immediate Release
	Media Contact | Original Press Release | AugustaCEO Article | The Augusta Chronicle Article | WRDW Article | WJBF Article
	Name:  Kimberly Holden
	Title:     Director, Marketing and Public Relations
	Phone: 706.771.4819
	Email:   kimberly.holden@augustatech.edu

Augusta Technical College opens School of Health Sciences at
Piedmont Augusta's Summerville Campus

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Augusta, GA - January 5, 2023

Augusta Technical College and Piedmont Augusta celebrated the opening of the college's School of Health Sciences Summerville Campus with a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new location at 2260 Wrightsboro Road.

The ceremony featured remarks from President and Chief Executive Officer of Piedmont Augusta and Piedmont McDuffie Jim Davis and Augusta Technical College President Dr. Jermaine Whirl as well as tours of the the office, classroom space and hospital setting. The tours were conducted by School of Health Sciences students and faculty.

The Augusta Technical College School of Health Sciences is home to over 23 programs of study including nursing, surgical technology, respiratory care, radiologic technology, cardiovascular technology, occupational therapy assistant and other high-demand health sciences programs. Each program provides hands-on learning using state-of-the-art equipment and includes clinical rotations with many partners throughout the region.

"The average American isn’t aware of the severity of the nursing shortage in our country," explained Piedmont Augusta Board Chairman Hugh Hamilton. "Our Summerville Campus was underutilized, and Augusta Tech needed room to grow their Health Sciences programs. Mr. Davis and Dr. Whirl recognized the potential of utilizing this facility to expand the nursing program, and here today we celebrate the fulfillment of that vision. The graduates of this program will help solve the shortage of healthcare providers for Augusta and our surrounding communities. This is a great day for Augusta and future nursing students."

"The opening of the Augusta Technical College School of Health Science Campus at Summerville is one of the most transformative projects undertaken in the Augusta Region," stated Augusta Technical College President Dr. Jermaine Whirl. "For our institution to move our entire School of Health Sciences to an actual hospital surpasses anything we could have built ourselves or accomplished in a simulated lab environment. The ability to utilize the millions of dollars' worth of technology in the hospital, while accessing the medical professionals working here, will ensure our students have a seamless experience from classroom to the hospital floor. Piedmont Augusta's Foundation work in establishing a $1 million endowment to fully cover the expense of our associates degree (registered nurse) program is a game changer for students who have financial barriers to entry but are committed to patience care. We're so thankful for the leadership of Chairman Hamilton, President Davis, the board, and the entire Piedmont Augusta team for making this project a reality. Overall, the opening of this campus provides another step towards our institution fulfilling its vision of being a nationally recognized academic institution that transforms lives, organizations, and communities through excellence, innovation, and partnerships."

Spring term starts January 9, 2023. Individuals interested in pursing a career in the healthcare field should contact the Augusta Technical College Admissions Office at 706.771.4028 or admission@augustatech.edu.

Click here to view photos from the ceremony.

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About Augusta Technical College

Augusta Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is a public postsecondary institution that provides academic and technical education, customized business and industry training, continuing education, student support, economic development, and adult education services to its service area (Burke, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, and Richmond Counties) at a competitive financial value. Associate of Science Degrees, Associate of Applied Science Degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates of credit are provided through traditional and distance delivery methods. For more information, visit augustatech.edu.
 

For more information, contact:
Name: Kimberly Holden
Title: Director, Marketing & Public Relations
Phone: 706.771.4819
Email: kimberly.holden@augustatech.edu

About Piedmont

Piedmont is empowering communities by changing health care. We continue to fuel Georgia’s growth through safe, high-quality care close to home – an integrated health care system that provides a hassle-free, unified experience. Every year, we have over 30 million visits to Piedmont.org, more than 450,000 appointments scheduled online by patients and over 100,000 virtual visits. We are a private, not-for-profit organization that for centuries has lived up to our purpose to make a positive difference in every life we touch in the communities we serve. Today our organization is supported by a work force of more than 37,000 who care for 3.4 million patients across 1,400 locations and serving communities that comprise 80 percent of Georgia’s population. This includes 22 hospitals, including three inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, 65 Piedmont Urgent Care centers, 25 QuickCare locations, 1,875 Piedmont Clinic physician practices and more than 3,000 Piedmont Clinic members. Piedmont has provided $1.4 billion in
uncompensated care and community benefit programming to the communities we serve over the past five years. In 2022, Forbes ranked us No. 166 on its list of the Best Large Employers in the United States. In 2021, the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that rates hospitals on safety, awarded Piedmont more A grades than any system in Georgia.

For more information, or book your next appointment, visit piedmont.org.

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• Categories:
• Press Release
• The Augusta Chronicle
• WRDW
• School of Health Sciences
• AugustaCEO
• Channel 6 WJBF
• Summerville Campus
• Piedmont Augusta

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